Steadying device for motion-picture apparatus



May 26, 1925. 1,539,754

I D. MCCULLOUGHO STEADYING DEVICE FOR MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS FiledMarch 15. 1924 WITNESSES ATTORNEY Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED sTATEs DEMING MICCULLOUGHO, OF MARIETTA, OHIO.

STEADYING DEVICE FOR MOTION-PICTURE APIEABATUS.

Application filed March 15, 1924. Serial No. 699,479.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Deanne MTCCUY- LOUGHO, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at lvilarietta, in the county of Nashimggton and Stateof Ohio, have invented a new and useful Steadying Device for Motion-Picture Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a steadying device for motion pictureapparatus, and its object is to provide an attachment adapted to co-actwith the roll or spool above the projector to hold the film back fromthe backing plate, so that it will not be scratched or torn, and so thatit will be perfectly steady in front of the screen.

The specific construction of the invention and the manner in which it isattached to a. motion. picture apparatus of standard construction willbe explained in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention in its preferred form.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a portion of themotion picture apparatus having my invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same with the front part of thecasing removed.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the invention detached.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown a portion of thecasing 55, within which the film loop 6 is formed by the action of atoothed feed wheel 7, which is driven by a gear wheel 8. The film isheld in engagement with the toothed feed wheel 7 by means of a flangedroller 9-and a rear roller 10, underneath which the film passes as it isdrawn from the feed roll. From the loop 6, the film passes over a spoolor roll 11 between the end flanges 12 thereof, and downwardly between.the door 13 and the backing plate 14. The parts thus far described areof standard construction, and are shown conventionally in order toillustrate the application of the invention thereto. The form andarrangement of these parts may, however, vary in different apparatus.

The steadying device, which constitutes the subject matter of thepresent invention, is preferably supported by a bracket 15, which may besecured to the upper end of the backing plate 14 by screws 16-, or othersuitable means. The bracket 15 has a forwardly projecting plate 17,which overhangs the spool 11, and has a block 18 soldered or otherwisesecured to its upper face. A yoke 19, located beneath the plate 17, hasupstandlng pins 20 secured to its upper face, and mounted forreciprocation in the block 18. A shaft 21 connects the arms of the yoke19 an rotatably supports a roller 22, which is adapted to press the filmagainst the surface of the spool 11 by reason of the action of expansilecoiled springs 23, which surround the pins 20 between the plate 17 andyoke 19.

An adjusting screw 24:, in threaded relation to the block 18, is locatedpreferably between the pins 20, and held in adjusted position by a locknut 25. The lower end of the screw 24 has a reduced smooth portion 26 oflimited extent, which extends through the central part of the yoke 19,and slidably engages the same. The lower extremity of the screw 24 isupset to form a. head 27, and the yoke has a limited recip rocatorymovement between the head 27 and an annular shoulder 28 formed at theupper end of the reduced portion 26. The screw 24 is adjusted to permitthe yoke 19 and roller 22 to have sufficient play to prevent excessivepressure or friction on the film, and yet the pressure of the springs 23is suflicient to hold the film back and to prevent any slack below thespool 11, and thus holds the film perfectly steady in front of thescreen, as well a preventing the same from being scratched or torn. Thehead 27 prevents the device from being displaced while the film is beingthreaded.

l Vhile I have shown and described the structural details of oneembodiment of the invention and one type of motion picture apparatus inwhich it may be embodied, it will be understood that these are merelyfor the purpose of illustration, and that various modifications may bedevised in the various parts of the device and in the manner in which itis used without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention asdefined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a motion picture apparatus, the combination with a spool overwhich the film is fed, of a pressure roll cooperating therewith, a yokein which said roll is rotatably sup ported, said yoke being mounted forreciprocatory movement toward and away from the spool, springs urgingthe yoke toward the spool, means for positively limiting the range ofmovement of said yoke in either direction, and means for adjusting saidlimiting means toward and away from the spool.

2. In a motion picture apparatus, the combination with a spool overwhich the film is fed, of a bracket having a block secured thereto andoverhanging said spool, a yoke having upstanding pins reciproeablymounted in said block, a pressure roll rotatably mounted in the yoke andadapted to press the film against the spool, springs urging said yokeand the roll carried thereby toward the spool, means for positivelylimiting the range of movement of said yoke in each direction, and meansfor adjusting said limiting means toward and away from the spool.

3. In a motion picture apparatus, the combination with a spool overwhich the film is fed, of a pressure roll cooperating therewith, a yokein which the pressure roll is rotatably supported, a bracket in whichthe yoke is mounted for reciprocation, and a screw in threaded relationto the bracket and having a portion of reduced diameter extendingthrough the yoke with abutments at each end of the reduced portion tolimit the reciprocatory movement of the yoke in each direction, saidscrew being adjustable longitudinally to shift the range of movement ofthe yoke.

4. In a motion picture apparatus, the combination with a spool overwhich the film is fed, of a bracket having a block secured thereto andoverhanging said spool. a yoke having pins secured thereto andreciprocable in said block, a pressure roll rotatably mounted in theyoke and adapted to press the film against the spool, springs urgingsaid yoke toward the spool, and a screw in threaded relation to thebracket and having a portion of its length reduced in diameter andextending through the yoke with abutments at each end of the reducedportion engageable by said yoke to limit the reciprocatory movement ofthe latter in each direction, said screw being adjustable longitudinallyto shift the range of movement of the yoke.

5. In a motion picture apparatus, the combination of a roll adapted tobe held in contact with the film, a supporting member in which the rollis rotatably supported, a bracket in which the supporting member ismounted for reciprocation toward or away from the path of the film, anda screw in threaded relation to the bracket and having a portion ofreduced diameter extending through the supporting member with abutmentsat each end of the reduced portion to limit the reciprocatory movementof the supporting member in each direction, said screw being adjustablelongitudinally to shift the tinge of movement of the supporting mem- Intestimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed mysignature.

DEMING MCCULLOUGHO.

